A Model for Indian Regional Multi-lingual CAPTCHA Challenges

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CAPTCHA is an acronym of Completely Automated Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart which is also referred to as HIP (Human Interaction Proof). It is a computer program that generates challenges or tests that only humans can solve and the machines or automated software cannot solve. CAPTCHAs are used in various Web Applications to restrict bots from doing unwanted activities in areas of protected content and unwanted submissions of web forms. In this paper a Model for Multilingual CAPTCHA challenges which can be more accessible and easy to use for non-English users is proposed. Rendering CAPTCHA tests in regional languages can improve usability and accessibility for non-native speakers of English language. The suggested model can be implemented in all major web programming languages such as PHP, .NET, J2EE, Perl, Ruby etc. I. INTRODUCTION The websites and web applications using CAPTCHA may be usually targeted for a large audience nationally or globally and not limited to a particular location or city. The websites and web applications are therefore used by people with knowledge of different languages and scripts including but not limited to English. Modern websites and web applications and designed in a way that the users can use them in their own languages. In India, there are 22 officially recognized languages and 12 different scripts. Majority of people in India have knowledge of and use their regional languages are not well versed in English. More and more websites and web applications for India are providing content and user interface in the regional languages of India. Many of these websites and web applications contain resources and areas protected by CAPTCHAs. The Government of India has also issued several guidelines for using Hindi and other regional languages in the websites of Government Departments. More and more Govt. Departmental websites are providing content in regional languages. The CAPTCHAs used in these Websites and web applications are English only even if the users choose to use them in a non-English regional language. This leads to very poor accessibility and usability of these websites.